I know we will be coming back to a refrigerator full of horror. I tried to research at what point food rot makes the fridge itself bad and wasn’t able to come up with much.
Posted Aug 31, 2021, 2:16 AM UTC
If it helps, we were without power for 8 days after Michael. The fridge was rough, but after a purge and deep cleaning, it was fine.
I was gone a month for Katrina and came home and cleaned that bad boy out immediately. Tie something around your face and don't breathe through your nose. Grab and dump.
Oh man this does make me oddly nostalgic. 2006 Mardi Gras had so many good rotten fridge costumes.
Maggots.
No more than 6 days, in my experience.
Baking soda (placed on a cookie tray, or just a box with the top ripped off) can help absorb odors after you clean the fridge. Maybe do a few rounds of baking soda after the clean. Also, I have heard adding 1 tablespoon of bleach to one gallon of warm water can create a good mix to wipe/scrub down the fridge, then wipe it dry with a towel.
I would take out any component that can be taken out, and clean them separately. Then, wait 12-24 hours to get a cold temp again before loading it up with food. (Or whatever time duration that most websites suggest).
Good idea with the baking soda. If the passive methods don’t work, I’d mix it with water to make a paste, rub it all over the inside of the fridge with one of those abrasive green dish pads or a brillo, let it sit for a day and then wipe it off.
Thank god I have a ten pound bag of baking soda from Costco due to weird covid shortages from last year
No matter what happened in there, worst case scenario you take it outside and hose it out with a little bleach solution. It'll be fine. If there's any lingering smells, put a box of baking soda in there.
What’s the protocol if you live in an apartment complex? I’m so mad at myself for completely forgetting about my fridge when I left. I kept telling myself to clear it but I was so panicked and nervous that once I was packed up I just bolted. My fridge doesn’t have a ton of food, but there is definitely some meat in the freezer (chicken, ground beef, I think some tuna steak….). Would my complex replace the fridge once things get better (if it’s that bad)? If it’s been less than a week, can I save it still? I’ve never had to deep clean one before and I’m very sensitive to bad smells so just the thought is making me sick lol. But I know something will need to be done.
If apartment management is around, see if they'll go in and empty the fridge for you now, before it gets too bad. Worst they can do is say no.
When you clean out the fridge but it smells like you didn't. Even after bleaching and letting it air dry